When There's No Place to Run
by Daine
Summary: Where do you go when there's no place to run? What do you do when your world collapses around you? Pietro Maximoff is about to find out...
1. When There's No Place to Run

A/N: I don't know where this came from

A/N: I don't know where this came from. I was ignoring the movie E.T. in Spanish, when suddenly I started writing. This is the result. Hope you like it. And I'm sorry, but I'm still working on Rogue's accent. It isn't very accurate yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or E.T.

When There's No Place to Run 

"...and in other news, an anti-mutant hate group caught a supposed mutant last night in Des Plaines, Illinois. The police arrived too late to save the beaten teenager, who died a few hours later in a local hospital without regaining consciousness. The group is reportedly unremorseful, and public opinion is - "

Logan snapped off the television in the middle of the reporter's sentence. The gathered teens whirled to look at him as he stood in the doorway with a scowl. "Hey!" Evan protested.

"You don't need to listen to that crap anyway," Logan growled. He stalked out of the room, taking the remote control with him. Evan turned around, greatly annoyed.

"Well, how do you like that?" he asked. His companions, however, did not look as disappointed. Kitty had a relieved expression on her face, and Kurt looked decidedly uncomfortable. Finally Rogue spoke up.

"Evan, ya idiot, _we're_ mutants. D'ya think we wanna listen to that?"

"Yeah, it's like, totally creepy," shuddered Kitty.

"Aw, is little Kitty afraid of itty-bitty mutant hunters?" Evan teased.

"Maybe she should be!" Rogue snapped. "And maybe you should be too!"

Evan looked uncomfortable and then shook it off. "Nothing's going to touch us here. The defenses on the Institute are too strong."

"Ja, but vhat about vhen ve are _not _here? Vhat about vhen ve are caught out zere?" Evan looked at Kurt, surprised.

"Don't tell me you're scared."

"I'm not scared!" Kurt exclaimed immediately. "I just know zat mutant hunters are dangerous. You should know zat, too."

"Yeah, so shut up, Evan," Rogue chimed in.

"Hey!"

_You guys, dinner's ready. _Jean's mental "voice" sounded in all of their heads. Still bickering, the four young mutants walked out of the room towards the dining room.

* * *

Pietro ran. He didn't know how long he had been running, but it seemed like hours. For once his super speed was a disadvantage. He tired much more quickly when he had to run over a long period of time, and he had been running all evening. It made sense – after all, he was running much farther than most people did in a certain time period – but it was not helping him now. _They're everywhere, _he thought wildly. _They must have planned this for weeks! _The mutant had been forced to use his powers in short bursts of speed all night, and the constant stopping and starting, doubling back, and circling away had drained his powers and energy to exhaustion.

His right arm ached abominably. Wetness trickled down his back – he didn't want to think about what it was. Pietro forced his mind away from his pains and focused on the swinging lights across the street. Or at least, he tried to focus. His left eye had swollen completely shut.

They were coming closer, that was for certain. Pietro held his breath. He couldn't leave yet, not until he knew…a shout came up from one of the dark figures as a light swept over him. But that light swept not only over him but also over what Pietro was looking for. His heart sank in despair. Blinking away spots in his vision, Pietro took off again. He didn't dare stay any longer, and it would do no good anyway. Nothing mattered anymore but to stay alive.

Pietro skidded to a stop and leaned over to catch his breath. It caught painfully in his chest as he struggled to pull air into his lungs. Then he looked up to see where he was. He knew he was miles away from his pursuers. His gaze fell upon a mansion standing not one hundred feet away. For a minute he stared, disbelieving. His mind whirled crazily. How had he gotten here? He shook off the instinctual disgust and rejection of the place and all it represented, and began slowly walking towards it – there was no sense in draining his powers. _No choice, _he reminded himself. He hesitated a moment at the door, just long enough to calm his shattered nerves, then banged on the door.

* * *

Kitty broke off arguing with Kurt long enough for a sound to register. "Like, what was that?" she asked, frowning. Then they heard the pounding noise again.

"Someone's knocking at the door," Kurt said, amazed. He looked around and saw similar expressions of surprise and wariness on his tablemate's faces. _No one _knocked at the mansion door. All of the residents just let themselves in, and they never had unexpected visitors – except ones such as the Juggernaut, who didn't use doors. So who could be knocking at this hour?

As one, the X-Men turned to look at their Professor. He had his fingers to his temples and appeared to be concentrating hard. Finally he opened his eyes. "I can't get an accurate reading," he said. "There is too much emotional interference, and no clear thought pattern at all."

"What kind of emotion?" Scott asked. 

"Mostly fear," the Professor answered. "Very powerful fear, along with a lot of pain and anxiety. I can't shake the feeling that the person is familiar, though."

"I'll check it out," said Logan.

"Be careful," warned the Professor.

"Don't worry about that," Logan replied, and unsheathed his claws.

The remaining students stayed still for roughly ten seconds after Logan had left. Then Kurt disappeared from the room, and Kitty phased right through the back of her chair and the wall behind it towards the front hall. Evan, Jean, and Scott ran out of the dining hall after them. 

So all of the X-Men were present when Logan opened the door and looked out into the night. And all of their mouths dropped open at the sight that met their eyes.

Pietro stood on their doorstep, his pale skin gray with exhaustion. He swayed slightly where he stood, his left eye swollen shut, clutching his right arm, and with blood trickling from a wound on his head. As the gathered mutants stared, Pietro spoke. "I need to see Professor Xavier," he rasped. "Now."

Well? What do you think? Please review if you want me to continue.


	2. How Far Will You Go?

A/N: ::blinks:: Wow

A/N: ::blinks:: Wow. Can we say overwhelmed? I never, ever expected that kind of response. Maybe I should write during Spanish more often. Actually, the first part of this section was written in Spanish class also…enough babbling. On to part two!

Disclaimer: Despite all efforts, I still do not own X-Men: Evolution. Can't blame me for trying, though.

When There's No Place to Run 

Part Two: How far will you go?

For a long moment, the X-Men simply stared at the miserable-looking figure standing in their doorway. Then Logan, claws still unsheathed, moved forward to block the door – or perhaps to protect the teenagers gathered behind him. "What do you want?" he snarled.

Pietro gave him an ironic grin, which only added to his ghastly appearance. "I thought you were supposed to be the good guys. Aren't you obligated to help people in trouble and all that crap?"

"This isn't a movie, kid," yelled Logan. "And if I were you, I'd answer. Now!"

"Logan," Jean protested, "He's hurt! The Professor could…"

Logan silenced her with a growl. "I don't care if he's dying, he's not coming in until I know why he's here and what he's plotting."

Pietro straightened at this and glared at Logan. The look lost its effectiveness as he winced in pain. "Does it look like I'm in any condition to be plotting anything?" he snapped.

Jean could sense the weariness and pain in his voice, despite his attempts to mask it with bravado. It was torture for the telepath to see and feel Pietro's pain, even if he was their enemy. She started forward, only to be stopped again by Logan. Biting her lip, she strengthened her mental shields and tried to tough it out.

Pietro tried again. "Look, I wouldn't be here if I had any other choice. But there's nowhere else to go!"

Logan stared at him, unmoved. "Sounds like you wouldn't be grateful for our help. So just go without it!" He turned away. For a moment Pietro's mask slipped, and true fear and desperation shone from his face. He steeled himself.

"…please." The plea was almost a whisper. Logan stopped moving. Pietro licked his bruised lips and started again. "Mutant hunters found our house. I don't know how!" He stopped, trying to get his anger under control. "I need Professor Xavier's help."

"And what exactly did you want?"

Pietro glared at Logan's still-turned back. "I want to discuss it with the Professor. Everyone doesn't need to know my business!" _There's no way I'm telling this X-freak about the others. I'm not giving any of them more of an advantage over me than they already have, _Pietro thought angrily. The X-Men must not find out that the rest of his team was out of commission. Pietro had a sudden, chilling thought. What if they decided to kill him now and get it over with? Then the others would be taken care of by the humans without staining the X-Men's precious hands. Pietro silently cursed his stupidity, but gave no sign of his inner turbulence. He had dealt the cards; now he had to play his hand.

Logan turned with a snarl. In spite of himself, Pietro felt fear turn his bones to jelly as three metal claws stopped an inch away from his face. His eyes widened as he saw the satisfaction on Logan's face. He had given himself away. Now the X-Men _knew_ just how drained his powers were – he should have been able to dodge the attack without a second thought. 

"What makes you think we would help you? What if we decided to finish you right here?" Logan asked, echoing Pietro's earlier thoughts. Pietro somehow managed to meet the older mutant's eyes. 

"You need me." He swallowed as Logan let out a bark of laughter. "I may not know who ordered the attack on us, but I could point them out. I can tell you what the hunters looked like, so you can protect yourselves while you're not safely holed up in this mansion."He noticed that the four younger X-Men, especially Kurt and Evan, had reacted to his last statement. He wondered why for a minute, than dismissed it. He had to argue his point. "The people who attacked us – they knew everything. They knew the layout of the house, they knew when Todd was coming home, and they knew when Mystique came to check on us. They knew all of our powers and planned around them. It must have taken weeks. If they knew all of this about us, _without anyone realizing anything was up,_ who's to say they don't know about you?"

Pietro could tell by the look on their faces that he'd scored a major point. He decided to push it again. "Even if you don't want to help me, you need my information. You can't afford not to listen to me." He was starting to get dizzy from blood loss. He hoped he wouldn't have to stand up to Logan much longer. 

A faraway look came into Logan's eyes. He nodded once and turned to Pietro. "All right," he growled. "I don't like it, but I'm taking you to see the Professor." Relief made Pietro's knees go weak. Logan, in a sudden burst of speed, lunged forward and stopped his claws millimeters before they slammed into the younger mutant's neck. "I don't think I'll need to tell you that I'll be watching you. Don't try anything," Logan said in a low, dangerous voice. Pietro considered responding with a snappy comeback but decided he had better not push his luck. Besides, he couldn't think of anything. 

"Jean, lead him to the dining room. The Professor is in there. I'll follow you," said Logan, glaring at Pietro. The redhead stepped forward and nodded.

"Follow me," she said simply, and started walking. Pietro hurried to catch up. As he went past Kurt and Evan, something caught his bad arm. He stopped and swore as pain lanced through his arm like fire. For a moment he couldn't move – the agony stopped all thought. Just as suddenly, the pain stopped. Pietro's eyes flew open in surprise. He looked at Jean, who was concentrating hard on something. 

"What did you do?" he asked.

"What?" Jean said, startled. Immediately after she looked away his arm started aching again, thought not nearly as badly as it had before.

"I said, what did you do?" Pietro indicated his arm. Jean looked at Logan apprehensively as she answered.

"I created a…a mental shield in your mind. It helped to block the pain from reaching the sensory cells in your brain."

Pietro blinked at her, surprised. Why would she do something like that? He hesitated a moment, feeling like he should say something but not knowing what. "Well, don't think I owe you or anything!" he snapped. After an awkward pause, Jean turned and started walking again. Pietro followed.

Jean stopped in front of an open door. She motioned for Pietro to go inside and closed the door after him. Pietro walked further into the room, looking around for the Professor. _Over here, Pietro. _The boy stopped and whirled around to face Professor Xavier. His head felt odd, though it could have been just the fact that he was trying hard not to pass out. But given the voice that he had just heard inside of his head, he had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"Hey, get out of my head!" he protested angrily. Charles Xavier looked at him, one eyebrow raised. 

"That's hardly any way for a person who wants help to act," he said mildly.

"Yeah? Well, I'm sick of it. I don't want anyone else telling me how sickeningly grateful I ought to be. And I –" The Professor cut him off with a mental command.

_Watch what you say, _he cautioned. _Logan is listening to you outside the door. If you say anything disrespectful, he will come in here. I will have very little control over the situation afterwards. I want to listen to what you have to say, but I can't if Wolverine decides that you are more trouble than you're worth._

_ _

Pietro thought furiously back at the Professor, knowing that he would hear. _Well, isn't that nice. Warn me before you send someone in to kill me, as if that would make a difference. Does it satisfy your wonderful morals to tell me that?_

_ _

Xavier sighed. "I'm not sending anyone in to kill you, Pietro."

"No, you're going to get my information first, then kill me," Pietro said bitterly.

"Isn't that what you would do?" Xavier looked hard at Pietro. When he started to reply, the Professor continued, "Why did you come here if you believed that you would be killed?"

Pietro looked at him. "I didn't plan to come here. But I'd rather die by the hands of mutants rather than those – those-" Pietro's imagination gave out on him. He could not think of a word harsh enough to describe his attackers. 

"Was it that bad?" the Professor asked softly.

"Damn right," Pietro answered. "Fred went down early, and they beat Lance so badly that…" He stopped in horror, realizing that the Professor had gotten out of him the very information he had tried to hide from Logan.

"Start from the beginning. It's important that I know exactly what happened."

"Why should I trust you?Why should I say anything except what I came here to ask?"

"You wouldn't have come here otherwise. You expected to die. There's nothing for you to lose. And I can't consider granting any request of yours until I know the details."

Pietro knew that he was making no sense. There was no point to coming at all if he didn't tell the Professor what had happened. Yet his mind was just now registering how much power the X-Men had over him, and his natural reaction was to pull back and hide as much as he could. _The man may be an oblivious idealist, but he's right. I have nothing to lose. _He took a deep breath and began.

"The hunters came around seven o'clock. That's the time Todd always shows up." His eyes dared the Professor to ask why. When he didn't, Pietro continued. "Mystique was supposed to be there, but she was late. We had no idea they were there until the house was surrounded.

"I never saw what happened to Todd. They must have gotten him on the street." Pietro broke off and grinned wryly – or at least showed his teeth. "I've never decided whether he's insanely brave or just insane. He throws himself into fights he has no chance of winning. I wouldn't be surprised if that's how they caught him.

"A group entered through the back door. Fred's room is back there. He must have heard them and started to come out, because when I saw him he was laying half in and half out of his doorway. They got him with a tranquilizer before he had a chance to fight. It was an accident that I saw them – they had a tranquilizer for me, too. I was coming downstairs to talk to Lance and I saw them.

"I called for Lance and he came running up. He hadn't gotten as far as the stairs when another group came in from the front and surrounded him. We barely lasted a minute. He managed to knock a few of them off their feet, and I tripped them up. But Lance couldn't get up any real power because there were too many people attacking him at once, and I…I'm not as skilled at offense." Pietro smiled bitterly. If only he had a useful power, one that could actually help his teammates, then maybe they could have won. He and Lance could have at least gotten away.

"Is that all?" The Professor's voice came as a shock. Pietro dragged his mind out of the painful memories and shook his head.

"Lance had managed to knock out most of the people between him and the door, and I ran outside. There were still enough people to slow me down, though. A few of them grabbed my arm, and I was going too fast to stop. That's how my arm got like this. Afterwards I hid nearby, watching the house. I hoped Mystique would show up, or that maybe Todd had gotten away. Right before they found me again, I saw Todd, Lance, and Fred tied up and beaten senseless. The humans carried them on their shoulders like some kind of sick trophy." Emotion made his voice thick and raw. " So I ran. That seems to be what I'm best at." Bitterness and anger coated his tongue as he finished.

_ _

"It must have been very hard for you to see your friends hurt. I'm sorry." The Professor said that part aloud, then added mentally: _There's no shame in crying, Pietro. In many cases it relieves some of the pain._

_ _

Pietro blinked rapidly to clear his eyes and glared at him. _Who does he think he is, rummaging around in my emotions? _"Yeah, I'll bet you're really sorry," he sneered. _Like I'd believe that he actually cared! _"Are you sorry that the humans destroyed your little dream of humans accepting mutants, or sorry that they got to my friends before you did?"

"I'm sorry that anyone had to experience what you went through. It is especially horrible when something like this happens to young people."

Pietro stared at the Professor disbelievingly. Strange emotions flooded his battered body, and for a moment he fought tears again. This man, this man who was supposed to be his enemy, actually sounded like he cared.

The Professor waited patiently as Pietro regained control of his emotions. _I will **not **let him manipulate me, _Pietro thought. _I'm not foolish enough to fall for his tricks!_

_ _

"Pietro, what was it that you came here to ask?"

Pietro clenched his fists and looked at the floor. In a burst of conviction, he whipped his head up and stared Xavier straight in the eye as he said, "I want you to use Cerebro to find Mystique."

Well? Still want part three? Please review!


	3. Do you know where your father is?

The windows of the living room flew open with a bang

A/N: Here is part three. Sorry it took so long!I hope it lives up to reviewers' expectations. One note: this fic assumes that Pietro knows that Magneto is his father, but the X-Men and the rest of the Brotherhood do not. 

Disclaimer: Don't I wish?

When There's No Place to Run 

Part Three: Do you know where your father is?

Pietro stared at the ceiling without seeing it. The X-Men had put him in a bed in the medical ward and treated his arm. It was broken, as he had feared. Then they had left him alone to his thoughts – or maybe they just wanted to get as far away from their enemy as possible. Still, Pietro had no doubts that he was under guard. He had heard murmured conversation outside his room at hourly intervals, and he was sure that the _ching_ of metal he heard was from Wolverine's deadly claws.

It had been late when he arrived at the mansion. Now it was approaching midnight and still the white-haired mutant could not sleep. His mind whirred incessantly. The Professor had told Pietro that Cerebro would have to wait until the next day, as it required intense concentration that he claimed he could not perform at such a late hour. _Ha, _thought Pietro. _He just wants to talk it over with Wolf-man and the weather witch before he helps me, if he decides to help me at all._

Pietro still couldn't quite believe he was alive. Well, not surprised that he was alive, precisely – he didn't think that Professor Xavier would allow anyone to kill him in cold blood – but surprised that they hadn't taken one look at him and slammed the door in his face. _Actually, if they had sent me away, it would have been the equivalent to a death sentence, _Pietro mused. Without medical treatment the mutant would not have lasted long, especially with mutant hunters out for his blood.

The doors of his room slid open and Jean walked in. Pietro gave her a sardonic smile, which she ignored. He grinned to himself. _Here _was someone he could deal with. "Who's on guard now?" he asked, enjoying the shocked expression that crossed her face. "And don't play dumb. There's been someone out there since I got here."

Jean drew herself up and tossed her hair back. She was determined not to show that Pietro had surprised her. "Scott," she answered simply, and walked over to a cabinet. 

She pulled out a jar of powder and mixed it with a glass of water. She held it out to Pietro. "Drink this," she instructed. 

Pietro eyed the cloudy water. "Uh uh," he said firmly. "There is no way I'm drinking that. What did you put in it?" _It's probably poisoned._

"It isn't poisoned," Jean snapped. 

_I wish she wouldn't do that, _Pietro thought. "Ooh, touchy. Looks like someone's up too late. I'd say it's past your bedtime."

She sighed. "If our goal was to kill you we would have done it already. No one is going to try poisoning you at this point, okay? The powder will help you sleep and bolster your immune system so you can recover faster." When Pietro just stared at her suspiciously, she said, "Look, I'll leave it here. You don't have to drink it." She left. Pietro could hear her talking quietly to Scott as she shut the door.

_Stupid X-freaks, _Pietro thought. _Do they think I'm stupid or something? _The boy had already spent the better part of the last hour kicking himself for showing weakness in front of Professor Xavier. How had he forgotten the most basic of Magneto's lessons? He could almost hear his instructor's voice – _Never show weakness. Your enemies can and will exploit every emotion you possess. _It was a good thing Magneto would never find out. He was not at all anxious to be retrained – the lessons had been hard enough the first time.

Now that the pain in his arm wasn't as fierce, he had fully regained control over his unruly emotions. He sniffed in disgust at the way Xavier had pretended to care about his teammates. 

Worry coursed through him at the thought of his friends. _Stop that, _he told himself firmly. _They're fine. They **have **to be fine. _For a minute visions of his friends' beaten, bloody faces overwhelmed him. He forced away the sick memories. _Think about it. What could possibly happen to them that would penetrate their thick skulls? Fred probably hasn't even realized he's hurt yet. Their brains don't register fast enough to feel pain. _

_ _

Pietro clenched his fists and stifled a scream. He couldn't stand this. He couldn't take any more of this lying awake, worrying and wondering. Wondering if any of his teammates had survived the night…He glanced at the clock. _Five minutes?!? _Only five minutes had passed since Jean had left him. At times like this it was a curse to have a mind that operated at least five times as fast as the average person's.

He sat up and fought back a yell as pain lanced up his arm. He was past caring about whether it was a trap or not – he staggered to the counter and downed the glass of cloudy water, still sitting where Jean had left it. The drugs took effect almost immediately. He struggled back to the bed as his eyes closed. _She could have at least left the glass closer to the bed, _he thought vaguely before falling asleep at last.

* * *

"The boy is asleep," announced Professor Xavier. The news caused a general relaxation of the mutants sitting around the Professor's desk. Xavier sighed and leaned his head in his hands. "Now we need to decide what to do with him."

"I don't trust him," growled Logan. He paced back and forth next to the window. "How do we even know he's telling the truth? This whole thing could be a setup!"

"He's telling the truth, Logan. I could tell that just by looking at him," Ororo said. "The boy was terrified, and those injuries certainly are real."

Logan was about to argue when the Professor cut in. "Yes, he did tell the truth about the attack. I know that for a fact."

"All right, so he was attacked," said Logan. "So what? It could still be a setup. What if the hunters followed him here? What if this is all a plan to get him inside the mansion?"

"If it is, then he has better mind control then anyone I have ever met, myself included. I have monitored his thoughts since he arrived. He has thought only of his quest for help and the condition of his teammates." The Professor hesitated. "I –" He stopped.

"What is it, Charles?" Logan asked.

"I am very worried about the other members of the Brotherhood," Xavier admitted. "There has not been time for them to have gotten too far away, but I cannot sense them."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Ororo asked.

"Not necessarily. They could merely be unconscious. Still, Pietro's memories indicate that they are in desperate need of medical attention. I fear that we could be too late to save them."

"So we _are_ going to help him," Ororo observed, a slight frown creasing her features. "Is that wise?"

"They're our enemies, Charles," Logan said. 

"I know that, Logan. But can any of us really let them be killed like this? They are still only children. They deserve better than that."

Ororo looked hard at him. "You want them to join us, don't you? You want them to have a reason to join us."

"That had occurred to me," Xavier admitted.

"Won't happen. Those kids have had Magneto's anti-human religion drilled into their heads for too long. They won't want to join us," Logan declared. 

"But don't we have to at least try?" Ororo asked.

Logan paced, thinking hard. "It'll be too dangerous. The hunters will probably want to execute the Brotherhood publicly. Too many humans, too much security. We can't risk the kids in that," he growled finally. 

"That remains to be seen," said the Professor. "We still have agreed to tell Pietro Mystique's location. After that we can decide what to do."

"Why did he ask you to find Mystique?" Ororo asked. "Why not the location of his friends?"

"He knows he cannot hope to rescue them on his own," the Professor answered. "He wants to have backup. Our dilemma may solve itself – Mystique may be enough to rescue the Brotherhood. If that is so, we will not have to involve ourselves at all.

"Now, I think that everyone should go to bed."  
  


* * *

Pietro drummed his fingers on the table. The drugs had succeeded in putting him out for a few hours – he had woken up around seven. Jean had expressed some shock at coming in and finding him awake, as the drug was supposed to last longer. She couldn't know that Magneto had been building up immunity to certain drugs in his minions, especially those that could be used to render someone unconscious. Now he sat at the kitchen table, waiting for the X-Men to finish eating.

The hushed talk and many glances in his direction had not escaped his notice. In his attempt to ignore them, he had eaten at a pace that would choke many people. It was normal for him, though he usually slowed down when eating with the Brotherhood. The X-Men were making him nervous. 

The drumming increased speed as he stared at Professor Xavier. _Could anyone eat any slower?_ he wondered. Luckily for him, it was not very difficult to eat using only one hand. His eye strayed to look at each of the X-Men in turn. _As a whole, they are definitely not morning people, _he thought. Their silence was starting to creep him out. 

Professor Xavier put down his fork. Pietro's eyes zoomed in on him immediately. The Professor looked around the table much as Pietro had done, and then looked directly at him. "All right, Pietro. I'm going to search for Mystique now. You can wait in the living room." He wheeled backwards and away from the table. "I'll show you where it is."

Pietro followed the Professor down the hall into the living room. He plopped down on a sofa, noting the quality of the fabric. _Impressive. _

"It shouldn't take too long. Make yourself comfortable." The Professor turned to leave. He was almost out the door when the windows flew open with a bang. Pietro whirled around to see…_Magneto? _As he gaped, Magneto looked at him and spoke._ _

_ _

__"Pietro. I am disappointed to see you in such company. Surely you have not forgotten your lessons?"

Gasps filled the room as the other X-Men came in to see what the problem was. He could feel accusatory stares on his back, but he ignored them. "If it bothers you so much, why didn't you find me earlier? What took you so long? I only came here because there was nowhere else to go." Pietro snapped. His impatience revived by the realization that he didn't have to act on the X-Men's terms, Pietro didn't wait for Magneto to answer. "Do you know where the others are? What happened to Mystique, anyway?"

Magneto held up a hand. "Still impatient, I see," he said solemnly. "You need to learn when it is best to stay silent."

For some reason, Pietro was in no mood for Magneto's all-powerful, mysterious act. He felt only irritation that his boss had arrived, when he should have been smug and arrogant that Magneto had come for him. He said crossly, "When I find a time like that, I'll think about it. So did you find them or not?"

"Of course I found them. How could you think otherwise?"

Pietro's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Magneto to know. "Well, where are they then? Why didn't you bring them? How badly are they hurt?"

"They are still with the humans," Magneto said. "Where else would they be?"

"_What?_ You know where they are and you haven't saved them yet? What are you waiting for? Let's move!" _Déjà vu, _he thought. This conversation was a lot like the one he had with Magneto when the older mutant had gotten him out of jail._ _

"Why would I want to rescue them? They are weak. They allowed themselves to be captured and did not adequately prepare their lodging for attack. I have no use for people who cannot protect themselves."

Pietro was sure he had heard Magneto wrong. "You're just going to leave them there?" he asked incredulously. 

Magneto looked at the silver-haired boy condescendingly. "Really, Pietro, I thought you of all mutants would know me well enough not to ask that. This attack was an opportunity to see what you all were made of. You survived and have proven yourself worthy. The others did not. The only service they can be to me now is that their deaths will bring more mutants to our cause. They can be easily replaced."

Pietro was finding it hard to breathe. Magneto couldn't mean that. He couldn't. Something clicked in his head then: why Mystique hadn't come to see them, and why the attack was an "opportunity". His voice shook as he asked, "You planned this?" He didn't really need an answer. "You planned this! You told the hunters where we were! That's why Mystique didn't find out and tell us. This was a test!"

"Very good, Pietro. You have passed with flying colors."

The confirmation of his wild accusation made his head spin. Anger filled him, anger that turned to rage as he continued to think about it. "How could you do that?" Pietro exploded. "They fought for you and were ready to die for what you made them believe in! They might be dead now! _I_ could easily have died!"

"I'm aware of that. Really, Pietro, it wouldn't be a test without some risk."

"You were ready to let me die!" Pietro cried out. "Didn't you even _care_?" His throat was closing up with emotion. He stared as Magneto looked impassively down at him. It was all the answer he needed. "Father!" he cried, pain coating his voice. "How could you? How could you do that to me? To _me!_" Exclamations of shock, which he ignored, filled the room.

Magneto frowned. "I warned you about calling me that. You will have to relearn that particular lesson. Now," Magneto said, reaching a hand towards the shaking boy, "we must leave. We have a destiny to fulfill."

"No _way_!" Pietro screamed. His mind whirled and all he could think of was _run, run, run! _"I am so _out_ of here!" He turned, blew past the gathered X-Men and in a split second was out the door. He didn't know where he was going – and what did it matter? What was left for him now? _How could he? He didn't care if his own son lived or died…he didn't care if I died! He didn't even **care**! _Anger and deep, heart-wrenching pain kept him from breathing for a brief moment, and he stopped. 

Tears threatened to overwhelm him now, but he forced them back. That was one lesson he had learned very well. A Maximoff – or more appropriately, a Magnus – never cries.

Whew! That took work. Do you want the next (and probably last) part? Please review. 


	4. To trust or not to trust? That is the qu...

A/N: I know, I know

A/N: I know, I know. I'm sorry for the wait, but I really feel that it compromises the quality of the story when I rush. Here is the conclusion to "When There's No Place to Run." I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: By this point, you should already know.

When There's No Place to Run 

Part Four: To trust or not to trust? That is the question…

Xavier stared after Pietro in dismay. _Pietro!_ he called mentally. _Pietro, stop! Where will you run to? _There was no response, not even a feeling that the panicked boy had received the Professor's message. He could not penetrate the miasma of emotions that shrouded Pietro's mind. Angrily he turned to Magneto.

"Magnus! How could you do such a thing? And to your own son?"

"You are too soft," Magneto intoned. "That is why your team will fail. This test has proven my former recruits unworthy. There will be others. I would suggest," he said, looking directly at each of the X-Men, "that you conduct a similar test of your own. Not all of these are strong enough to fight for your cause." With a swirl of cloak, Magneto turned to leave.

_Magnus, don't do this, _called the Professor. _You cannot write off your own son. Is there no humanity left in you at all, old friend?_

Magneto turned back as he rose into the air out through the window. "I am not human, Charles. You cannot ask me to possess a quality that does not exist for me. And as for my son –" Magneto pointed a finger straight at Xavier "- you will never mention him again."

It took several beats after Magneto's departure for anyone to get up the courage to speak. Finally Scott turned to the Professor. "Then it's true? Pietro is Magneto's son?" 

Professor Xavier looked very old and worn. "Yes, Scott. And yes, Magneto did plan the attack on his followers," he finished, anticipating Scott's next question. He held his head in his hands. The tumultuous emotion Pietro had experienced, coupled with the horrible indifference from Magneto was almost too much to handle.

It was Kurt who asked the question on everyone's mind. "Professor…vhat do ve do now?"

Xavier sighed. "We find Pietro. What else _can_ we do?"

* * * 

Pietro would not be easy to find.

The white-haired mutant had run all day. When his strength finally gave out, even he didn't know where he was. Exhausted, Pietro staggered into an alleyway and fell into a troubled sleep.

Sunlight woke him at last. He squinted in the harsh light and moaned softly. Sleeping on the hard ground had not done his aching muscles any good.

Stiffly, Pietro got to his feet and looked around. There was nothing to clue him in as to where he was. The buildings could have been from any big city. He walked out of the alley where he had slept and turned down the street. Maybe he'd be able to find a pay phone with a phone book. 

It was strange. He should have felt devastated. But the emotions that had driven him on last night seemed very far away. He just felt numb, and he welcomed that feeling. Anything was better than pain.

Pietro had walked a few blocks when he realized that the route seemed familiar. He stopped and looked around. _Of course! How could I not have recognized this? _He was standing in front of an old basketball court. A few kids played there, shouting and laughing. Kids he recognized. 

"I'm home," he whispered.

* * *

Scott and Logan were waiting when the Professor wheeled out of the room that held Cerebro. He didn't wait for them to ask questions. "He's in New York City. He's very close to the place where he used to live."

"And the others?" Logan growled. 

The Professor looked up at him. "I could only get a reading on Fred, and it was very weak. Either the other two aren't conscious, or…" he let his words hang. "Surprisingly, that signal also came from New York City, though I can't imagine how Pietro would know to go there."

"Probably coincidence. The kid used to live around there, so it's only natural he would run to a place where he felt safe. And how better to get the world's attention than to execute three mutants in a place like New York City?"

"Then we haven't much time," said the Professor. "Ready the Blackbird. We have to leave at once."

Logan's nostrils flared, but it was Scott who said, "Professor, are you sure that we should get involved in this? I mean, we've been fighting them all year!"

The Professor gave Scott a look. "Do you want to be responsible for three young peoples' deaths? Maybe they have been our enemies, but they deserve better than that. Also, we want to promote peace between humans and mutants. Allowing others like us to be executed would not be the impression we want to cultivate. We must be careful, of course," he said, halting Scott's protests. "We do not want to hurt anyone in our attempt to rescue them. That would not be beneficial to our cause. But their deaths would bring more hunters out of the woodwork, and cause more mutants to feel that the only way to survive is to fight against humans. We really have no choice but to help them."

* * *

Pietro wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood that had once been his home. It felt so odd. Even though he had only been away for a short time, Bayville already felt more like home than this place. Bayville…the Brotherhood…the attack! How could he have been so stupid? How could he walk around doing nothing when his friends were in danger?

The sudden burst of adrenaline that sprung from that thought nearly caused Pietro to start running again. That was his response to almost every situation – move. Get out of there. Do something – anything! He barely managed to control the impulse. _I have no idea where they are. What good would it do to go back to Bayville? There's nothing left there anymore, and for all I know there are still people looking for me. _No, he wouldn't go back to Bayville. But if he didn't do that, then what could he do?

The utter hopelessness of the situation struck Pietro then. Here he was, one sophomore with a broken arm, trying to rescue three people when he didn't know where they were. "This is stupid!" he yelled at the sky. "What am I supposed to **_do?_**" The sky had no answer. He immediately felt foolish for losing control. He looked back at the sky in despair.

And looked. And blinked twice, not quite believing what he was seeing.

Maybe the sky did hold answers after all.

An electronic billboard stood out against the smoggy sky. Pietro could remember neighbors complaining about it because it displayed messages about highly controversial topics. Right now, the sign held a message about mutants.

THREE FREAKS MEET THEIR RIGHTFUL END. SEE IT YOURSELF AT – 

Pietro stood still for the fraction of a second needed to discern the location of the executions. He took off down the street, hoping he was not too late. 

When Pietro arrived at the site a minute later, a huge crowd had already gathered. Several of them waved anti-mutant signs. Their hateful messages made him feel sick. News reporters and cameras were everywhere. He swallowed and looked for his friends.

They were not hard to find. A huge platform had been erected, which stood in the middle of the crowds of people. He could just make out the three shapes tied up to poles in the front center of the platform. 

Rage colored his vision. None of the captives appeared to be moving. He began to push his way through the crowd, trying to shut his ears to the jeers of the people. 

He finally reached the platform and looked at his friends' faces. He wished he hadn't – they were beaten and bruised to the point of almost being unrecognizable. But were they alive? As he watched, Todd slowly opened his eyes. Pietro nearly collapsed with relief. Todd's eyes roamed over the crowd until he noticed Pietro. Shock entered his expression, and Pietro quickly motioned for him to stay quiet. Todd nodded, but kept his eyes on his potential rescuer.

However, Pietro was now baffled. How could he possibly get them untied without being noticed? And even if he managed that, how could they get away? 

Pietro walked slowly to the side of the platform, feeling Todd's gaze following him. His quick eyes noted a staircase. People walked up and down it constantly. Maybe they wouldn't notice one more boy heading up to the platform.

Pietro marched confidently to the stairs and climbed them. No one challenged him. He felt a sense of victory. No one even noticed him! He made his way over to Todd, who was closest. 

Once there he hesitated. Now what? Well, the direct approach had worked so far…Pietro started untying the ropes that held Todd. 

"Hey! Hey you, there! What are you doing?" Pietro looked up to see a group of very large, angry men. _Busted. _

Pietro stammered a response, something to do with untying the prisoners to show them to the crowd close up. The man who appeared to be the leader sneered at him. "I have ordered no such thing. Now get out of here unless you want to be executed next to them."

Pietro's mind whirled. He couldn't leave his friends here, but he couldn't stay either, unless he wanted to be killed. Indecision held him captive for one vital moment.

Apparently he had hesitated too long. The man's expression darkened. "Grab him," he ordered the other men. They started forward, and Pietro wondered if he'd gone crazy. It was suicide to attempt this alone, and he knew it. So why was he still here?

A shadow fell over the platform. Pietro looked up and for just a second wondered if he really had gone crazy.

It was the X-Men's jet. As he gaped at the sight, Nightcrawler teleported out of the jet with Spyke and Rogue. Shadowcat phased through the bottom of the jet while holding on to Jean and Cyclops. Storm and Wolverine burst through the top hatch. 

"Looked like you might need some help," called Jean. Pietro just stared at them in utter disbelief. Why in the world would they come to help him? How had they even known he was here? _Cerebro. Duh, _he thought. He shook off his confusion. It didn't matter why they were here. He'd get answers later.

"You took your time, didn't you?" he yelled back at her. 

"Well, if you don't want our help…" Jean shrugged and turned back to the jet.

"I never said I didn't want it," said Pietro quickly. "So come on. Let's blow this Popsicle stand!"

* * *

Lance moaned and struggled to sit up. Pain shot through him, and immediately he felt a hand pushing him back down onto the bed. "Take it easy," a familiar voice said.

Lance opened his eyes and squinted in the sudden light. "Pietro?" he asked. He blinked his eyes rapidly and the blurry figure solidified into Pietro. "What happened?" He looked around him and frowned. "And where are we?"

"You're in the medical center at the Institute," Pietro replied.

"The Institute? We're in here with the X-Freaks?" Lance glared up at Pietro. "Pietro, what the hell is going on?"

"We "X-Freaks" saved your life," came a serene voice from behind them. Both boys turned to see Ororo standing in the doorway. "I'm glad to see you are awake."

Lance looked at her incredulously, then turned to Pietro. "Explain. Now."

"You remember the mutant hunters, right?" At Lance's affirmative nod, Pietro continued. "You, Fred, and Todd were beat pretty badly. They took you to New York City for a public execution. I got away but was hurt. The only place I could think of coming was here, because I couldn't find Mystique or Magneto." Pietro hesitated a moment. So far he had not told any of the members of the Brotherhood about Magneto's betrayal. It still hurt to think about it, and he wasn't sure he was ready to talk about the experience. 

While he was still considering, Lance spoke. "All right. So how did I get from being dead meat to being in the X-Fre…the X-Men's hospital room?"

Pietro shook his head to clear it. "They helped me rescue you guys," he answered. "Then they flew you back here for treatment, because we couldn't trust a normal hospital." 

"They did?" Lance looked confused. "But why?"

"Dunno," said Pietro. That was a lie. He did know – Xavier wanted to recruit them. He knew, however, that the chances of his friends agreeing to work for peace between mutants and humans were practically nil. They had just seen too much of the bad side of life. 

Pietro decided to change the subject. "You had us worried. Fred and Todd recovered enough to get out of bed a few days ago, and they were conscious for the execution rally. You've been out the whole time, and we were starting to think…" he stopped abruptly. "Glad you're okay."

Lance frowned. "How long have I been out?"

"One week since the attack."

"A whole week?No _way! _And we've been here the whole time?" Pietro nodded. Lance appeared to be deep in thought. Then he shrugged it off and looked back at Pietro. "Can I have something to eat? If it's been a week, then I'm starving."

* * *

The X-Men and the mostly recovered Brotherhood were grouped around the front door. Magneto's mutants were finally leaving the mansion, and everyone else had turned out to see them off. _Probably want to make sure we actually leave, _Pietro thought. The atmosphere in the mansion had been extremely tense these last few days, as Lance had recovered enough to argue with Scott.

The moment was decidedly awkward. The Brotherhood had wanted to leave without anyone noticing to avoid a scene, but with two telepaths in the house that was impossible. "So," Todd said, breaking the silence. "Guess we're leaving, yo."

"Yeah." With a nod to the Professor, Lance started to walk away.

This was too much for Scott to handle. "We saved your lives, you know. You could at least show a little gratitude!"

"Yeah, well, thanks. I guess. But don't think this changes anything!" Lance said hurriedly. He was not used to thanking anyone, and the concept seemed too strange to grasp fully. Logan gave the Professor an _I-told-you _look. Xavier sighed.

"I wish you well. Good luck," the Professor said.

Lance, Todd, and Fred looked at him like he had grown horns. "Right," said Todd. Lance turned to leave, and the rest of the Brotherhood fell in behind him. 

"A moment, Pietro," the Professor called. Pietro, who had almost reached the door, stopped to look back at him. "I just want to talk to you." He gave the rest of the X-Men a pointed look, and they slowly trickled from the room.

Lance turned, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Pietro almost laughed at the protectiveness in his face. "Go on," Pietro told him. "I'll catch up in about 2 seconds." Lance was clearly reluctant to leave without Pietro, but he finally did, throwing glances over his shoulder every few steps. Pietro turned to Xavier, a slightly mocking smile on his face. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked, feigning ignorance. He knew perfectly well what the Professor wanted to know.

"Why did you not tell them the truth, Pietro?" the Professor asked. 

Pietro snorted. "You're the mind-reader. You tell me."

"I do not like to pry into others' thought without their permission," he replied.

"Well, isn't that just peachy. Hasn't stopped you from messing with _my _head, though, has it?" The Professor chose not to answer him. Instead, he fixed Pietro with the penetrating stare that he was famous for. Pietro shifted uneasily.

"Fine. You want to know why? I'll tell you." He glared at the Professor. Pietro had spent a long time deciding what to tell the other mutants of the Brotherhood, and he was sure now that he had made the right choice."I didn't tell them the truth because they don't need to know it."

"Doesn't everyone deserve to be told the truth?" Xavier questioned.

"Not if the truth does more harm than good. And you're a fine one to talk about telling the truth. Or did you forget that you didn't even tell your students that their principal was Mystique?"

Xavier inclined his head in acknowledgement. Pietro had scored a point. "That is correct. But I learned from that mistake. I learned that it is better to tell the truth."

Pietro laughed cynically. "It's great to have all your wonderful morals, old man, but I'm more concerned about my family. Or did you not think that far ahead?"

Xavier frowned slightly. The boy was not making any sense. Unless Pietro knew something that the Professor didn't…

Pietro stared at the Professor. "You didn't think of it, did you? And I thought that you were supposed to be so smart." He looked the Professor straight in the eye. "We need Magneto. Don't you get it? We can't stay here in Bayville. The mutant hunters aren't going to be happy that they lost their victims. They'll come looking for us. How long do you think the four of us would last on the run? Lance and Todd probably know a few places we could hide, but with no money we wouldn't last long. Magneto can make us disappear."

"That isn't the only reason, though. I can sense you're hiding something."

Pietro glared at him. "No. That isn't the only reason." He clenched his fists. "Magneto gave Lance and the others the only home they'd ever had. We've learned to trust each other. They're my family now. If they learned the truth about Magneto, that trust would be broken. My family would fall apart." He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "I'm _never _letting that happen."

The Professor blinked at the passionate reply. He had not expected this from Pietro. "I understand your sentiments, but what makes you so sure Magneto will take you back? He seemed adamant about the point that you four had failed him."

A bitter grin twisted Pietro's lips. His voice was mocking as he said, "We didn't fail him. We showed persistence and dedication in our struggle to overcome the humans. We refused to let the humans win, therefore showing our loyalty to Magneto's cause. Our escape from the executioners, on live television, will let other potential recruits know that it is possible for mutants to win. If we were to be recaptured, it would be a sign to mutants that they could never triumph over the human race. Magneto would lose his followers." Pietro smiled at the Professor humorlessly. "You see? He has to take us back."

The Professor shook his head, amazed. Pietro had the amazing ability to see clearly from the beginning to the end of a problem. Magneto would be hard pressed indeed to argue with that theory. "You're very convincing, Pietro. I wouldn't like to argue with you on that point."

"Of course you wouldn't. No one can argue with me because they know I'm so much better than they are." Some things never changed. 

Pietro turned and began to walk away.

"How will you find Magneto?" the Professor called after him. 

Pietro looked over his shoulder at him. "Please. I could find him with my eyes shut. I _know_ where he lives." Then, to forestall any further conversation, he turned on his speed and rejoined his friends. 

"What took you so long?" Lance asked.

Pietro shrugged. "Baldy was just trying to convince me to join him. I told him there was no chance."

"Good," said Todd. "He's got a jumped-up opinion of himself anyway, yo." Fred grunted his agreement.

Pietro studied his friends for a moment. None of them had much in the way of people skills, but this was his family. He forced down any last misgivings about not telling them the truth and grinned. "Come on. Let's go find Magneto."

I beg of you to review. 


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